Alumni Council is an all-volunteer governing body that guides and directs policy for the Penn State Alumni Association. The council determines strategies and programs to be carried out by the Alumni Association staff and is also responsible for electing the Alumni Association president and vice president.

In this year's election, 14,188 Alumni Association members cast ballots - an 11 percent participation rate among eligible voters - with more than 57 percent submitting their ballots online.

Following is a brief biography about each newly named Alumni Council member:

Samuel Bernstine, of New Castle, Pa., graduated from Penn State in 1978. He is a partner at Kepner Tregoe Inc. Bernstine has served on Alumni Council for the past two years as the representative from Penn State Shenango Alumni Society, serving on the Membership Committee.

Robert J. Booz, of Centre Hall, Pa., is a two-time Penn State graduate with a 1968 bachelor's degree in business and a 1999 doctoral degree from the College of the Liberal Arts. Booz is retired from a 40-year career at Penn State, most recently as director of development at the Graduate School. While he is new to Alumni Council, Booz has served on the Penn State Graduate School Alumni Society board.

Michael F. Catino, of Shamokin, Pa., has served on Alumni Council for five years, first as a representative of the Penn State Schuylkill Alumni Society, then as an elected member. He currently serves on the Program Development Committee. Catino is a 1970 engineering graduate and is president of Catino Associates Inc.

Jeffrey L. High, of Frederick, Md., graduated from Penn State in 1991 and 1993 with bachelor's and master's degrees in engineering. He is an engineering manager for the Crane Group of Manitowoc Inc., and has served on Alumni Council since 2007. He served as the representative of the Penn State Mont Alto Alumni Society on Alumni Council from 2007Ã¢Â€Â“2009.

Andrew Jackson Sr., of State College, Pa., is a multi-cultural consultant and author. He has been a member of Alumni Council since 2006, serving on the Legislative Education and Advocacy Committee.

Kristen Fortney McMullen, of Summerville, S.C., is a 1989 graduate from the College of Health and Human Development. She is the director of communications and alumni relations for the Pinewood Preparatory School. McMullen has been on Alumni Council for the past three years, serving on the Volunteer Support Committee.

Andrew Santacroce, of Horsham, Pa., works for Verizon in business strategy and development for its Enhanced Communities. While this is the first time Santacroce has been elected, he represented the Penn State Abington Alumni Society on Alumni Council from 2006Ã¢Â€Â“2008. Santacroce has a 1988 degree in science.

Marjorie Ganter Scholtz, of Pittsburgh, graduated from Penn State in 1962 with a degree in Liberal Arts. She is a retired owner and director of a private preschool. Scholtz has been a member of Alumni Council since 2006, is a member of the Executive Board, and chairs the Membership Committee.

Gregory F. Scott, of Pittsburgh, is a senior project manager and professional engineer with Chester Engineers. He graduated from Penn State Harrisburg in 1992. Scott has been a member of Alumni Council for the last three years and serves on the Legislative Education and Advocacy Committee.

Fred Sembach, of Middletown, Pa., is chief of staff for state Sen. Mike Folmer. He earned a bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts in 1977 and a master's degree in public administration in 1978. This is his first elected term on Alumni Council. He previously served as the representative for Penn State Harrisburg on Alumni Council from 2005Ã¢Â€Â“2008.

Alison Lipsett Simpson, of Harrisburg, Pa., is the assistant marketing manager for Penn State Harrisburg. She graduated in 2003 from the College of the Liberal Arts. Simpson has served on Alumni Council since 2006 and is a member of the Communications Committee.

Sharon Stringer, of State College, Pa., is an associate professor at Lock Haven University and is new to Alumni Council. She is a three-time Penn State graduate, earning a bachelor's degree in communications in 1978 and master's (1996) and doctoral (1999) degrees in agriculture.

Chris Thomas, of Scottsdale, Ariz., is a marketing manager for General Electric. He graduated from Penn State with a bachelor's degree in 2003 and an MBA in 2008. Thomas is new to Alumni Council.